than usual as if it were trying to remind me where I'd ju

silence too loud. Everything felt unreal. I had imagined this moment too many times, but now that I wa

-especially not her. The woman who had walked out when I needed her most. Who

ngly, the woman I thought abandoned me was the

asked out of blue c

"You're free t

eet my eyes. "You're free.

he road. "You'll find out soon enough." That was what he told me when I l

aving me alone with a father who d

of guilt? P

driver waiting. No letter, no explanation. Jus

driver waiting. No letter, no explanation. Jus

ling with uncertain

more uncertain than the last. The same road I had once skipped a

y face, but even the fr

old belongings. Letters I'd written and never

ne

to mourn properly. My cousin Ella said it was an accident. That they argued, and it got o

events. He disowned me the moment the accusations st

remember him clearly telling the officer " I don't know her, I have no

h the glass wall of the police station and watche

d that someone was my mom. But why did she not wait for

h

no

y

thoughts, when I heard the sound

ee a sleek black car swing around the bend at

t the car stopped abruptly beside

, tall and masked, lunged from the

screamed, thrashin

ightened his hold and s

ain exploded across my

ything we

hly but controlled. I was lying on leather seats, the interior of the car expensive a

ushed back

art pounding. The ma

opened

then

eful in her heels and beige coat. Her hair w

went dry

d the door behind her and to

. "You... you

enc

fter all th

assed between us-grief, guilt, maybe eve

ightly, but before

ar st

nted window, ignorin

demanded, yankin

tepped out, and turned

. "It's time you l

she walked ahea